Spitfire

The Legacy of the Supermarine Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire was the best fighter plane to fly in the Second World War. Produced by Rolls Royce, the Spitfire has a top speed of approximately 364 miles per hour (586 kilometers per hour). This is faster than the German top fighter plane, the Messerschmit BF109. The Spitfire has two sets of two thirty millimeter cannons and a machine gun. It was used in many theatres from Western Europe all the way to the South Asian Pacific theatre. Most nationalities on the Allied side of the war flew Spitfires, mainly because of how many were produced and how good of a plane it is. The main nationalities that flew the Spitfire were British, Czech, Polish and other British Commonwealth nations. The Spitfire made its debut in 1940 during the Battle of Britain, where it practically replaced her sister aircraft the Hawker Hurricane. During the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire battled waves upon waves of German Messerschmit escort fighters, Heinkel He111s, and Stuka dive bombers every day for many months. The Spitfire is credited with virtually winning the Battle of Britain. It also played vital roles in Persia and Mesopotamia (Iran and Iraq respectively) fighting for oil and destroying Erwin Rommel’s Panzer divisions. In all, the Spitfire really brought its game because it remained the main fighter aircraft in the British Commonwealth throughout the whole war.